2026 Women's Motocross Championship Set to Kick Off at Hangtown

Thursday, June 4, 2026 | 4:30 PM

The most anticipated season of the WMX in history of the sport will commence at the oldest race in American motocross.

After months of anticipation, the best and brightest female athletes in off-road motorcycle racing are ready to line up on the gate to begin the 2026 season. The Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony (WMX) will consist of six rounds run in conjunction with the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, beginning this Saturday, June 6, with the Coker Pump Hangtown Motocross Classic from Prairie City SVRA in Rancho Cordova, California. The oldest race in American motocross will provide a stiff challenge for the opening round, as reigning back-to-back champion Lachlan “Lala” Turner begins her pursuit of a three-peat.
 
“The 2026 WMX season is the most anticipated in the history of women’s motocross. A groundbreaking year awaits with unprecedented support from Synchrony, more than $150,000 in OEM contingency, and the deepest field of talent ever assembled. All of which will culminate in a special showcase at the SMX World Championship Final,” said Christina Denney, WMX Series Director. “While Lala Turner will once again be the one to beat this summer, her list of challengers continues to grow with the addition of new talent from around the world. It will be exciting to watch the action unfold with more eyes on the WMX than ever before.”

The 2026 Women's Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony is the most anticipated season in WMX history, with unprecedented talent and support for the summer campaign.
The 2026 Women's Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony is the most anticipated season in WMX history, with unprecedented talent and support for the summer campaign. MX Sports Pro racing, inc.

Each round of the 2026 season will consist of two days of racing, with Moto 1 held each Friday and Moto 2 held every Saturday as a captivating addition to the action-packed race day for a Pro Motocross National. With the WMX’s inclusion on Saturday, the broadcast audience will be treated to live coverage of every second moto on Peacock as well as SMX Video Pass for international subscribers.
 
Turner returns with the No. 1 plate on her Altus Motorsports bLU cRU Yamaha, as the 19-year-old looks to continue her ascension as not just the most elite women’s racer, but also one of the most talented young prospects in the sport. However, her two closest friends and fiercest rivals on the racetrack will likely provide even more competition than they did one year ago. Reigning WMX runner-up and multi-time Australian National Champion Charli Cannon returns for a second season of U.S. competition with Quad Lock Honda. Although Cannon missed out on a breakthrough win last summer, she gave Turner all she could handle on several occasions. With a full season in America under her belt and a clean bill of health coming into the season, Cannon is poised to take the next step. The only racer other than Turner to claim victory last season was SLR Honda’s Mikayla “Kay Kay” Nielsen. The dynamic, multi-talented racer may be an endurance off-road racer by trade, but her motocross skillset is equally exceptional. Her championship pedigree in desert racing means Nielsen knows what it takes to win and she’s made a concerted effort to gain even more comfort and confidence in motocross heading into the new season, where she is a fixture of the three-rider rivalry that will likely define the summer and the pursuit of the WMX crown.

Reigning back-to-back WMX Champion Lachlan
Reigning back-to-back WMX Champion Lachlan "Lala" Turner. MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Altus Motorsports bLU cRU Yamaha's Turner will look to capture a third straight title in 2026, which would place her amongst the all-time greats in WMX.
Altus Motorsports bLU cRU Yamaha's Turner will look to capture a third straight title in 2026, which would place her amongst the all-time greats in WMX. MX Sports pro racing, inc.
After a runner-up finish in the championship last season, Australia's Charli Cannon will return to the U.S. with Quad Lock Honda.
After a runner-up finish in the championship last season, Australia's Charli Cannon will return to the U.S. with Quad Lock Honda. MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
SLR Honda's Mikayla Nielsen is poised to take another step forward in her progression as a motocross racer in 2026, seeking to improve upon her third-place finish last summer.
SLR Honda's Mikayla Nielsen is poised to take another step forward in her progression as a motocross racer in 2026, seeking to improve upon her third-place finish last summer. MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

With its old school layout filled with elevation changes, rutty terrain, and no shortage of highly technical obstacles, Prairie City SVRA is one of the most challenging tracks in the sport on its own. Combine that with the early summer heat that is commonplace in the greater Sacramento area, and the WMX field will be pushed to the limit at Hangtown, meaning it’s anyone’s race to win.

Turner (center), Nielsen (left), and Cannon (right) comprised the overall podium at last season's Hangtown Motocross Classic.
Turner (center), Nielsen (left), and Cannon (right) comprised the overall podium at last season's Hangtown Motocross Classic. mx sports pro racing, inc.

Following the action at Hangtown, the WMX will head to the mile-high altitude of Colorado for the Thunder Valley National (June 12-13) before traveling east to the Mason-Dixon Line for the High Point National (June 19-20). A midseason summer break will then set the tone for a three-round stretch run to crown a champion, beginning with the Unadilla National in Central New York (August 14-15), the Budds Creek National in Southern Maryland (August 21-22) and concluding with the Ironman National in Indiana (August 28-29).